Barry O'Rourke
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barryor.bsky.social
Barry O'Rourke
@barryor.bsky.social
170 followers 150 following 19 posts
Journalist. Beekeeper. YouTube Partner. I write & think a lot about video games. Primary teacher probably defying gravity somewhere 🏳️‍🌈
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barryor.bsky.social
Barry O'Rourke @barryor.bsky.social · Sep 4
Finally returning to the land of social media.....so, hello!

Catching up on a lot of new followers & tags (kind of worried what I've done to attract the attention in my absence!)
a cat with a crown on its head is dancing
ALT: a cat with a crown on its head is dancing
media.tenor.com
barryor.bsky.social
The latest deep-dive into the wonderful world of gaming on RTE.

Kudos to Keeper for keeping me absolutely engrossed this past week. Magical.

We also look at a much-needed shakeup of Pikachu and co, and some beautiful (and beautifully simple) indie games.

#gaming #games
www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
From brand new Pokémon to a real Keeper: new games reviewed
November is a vital part of the gaming calendar...
www.rte.ie
November 13, 2025 at 12:02 PM
barryor.bsky.social
Latest from yours truly on RTE - the battle of the FPS is about to kick off.

Battlefield 6 has already recruited millions of diligent recruits - can Black Ops 7 play catchup?

#gaming #battlefield6 #cod

www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
Game Review: Battlefield 6 - let the war of the shooters commence
First-person shooters (FPS) are the money-makers in the video game industry.
www.rte.ie
November 4, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
unaminh.bsky.social
Ahhh! Wanna support indie #Irish games, made in #Ireland, set in Ireland with an Irish voice cast and made by a small team? Please consider voting for our game #EyesofHellfire in Polygon's best of here!!

www.polygon.com/best-horror-... #gamedev
Vote for the best horror game of the year from our 6 nominees
2025 was a great year for horror gaming — here are some of our favorites
www.polygon.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:26 PM
barryor.bsky.social
A lovely piece to write about all the wonderful, inventive (and short!) games you can play, at home, on your morning commute, and more.

Quick play: 10 great video games you can finish in a day

#gaming #microgames
www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
Quick play: 10 great video games you can finish in a day
Video games are proof that size doesn't always matter.
www.rte.ie
October 30, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
irishrainforest.bsky.social
In Ireland
• Nature is haemorrhaging
• Water bodies are sick and dying
• Greenhouse gas emissions from land are soaring
• Flooding is ever more catastrophic
• Etc...

Because we've turned nearly all wild, natural habitat into barren monocultures of grass or shitka.

Mass REWILDING is the solution.
October 26, 2025 at 5:47 AM
barryor.bsky.social
'New games reviewed: Irish-made Éalú is a must-play puzzler'

#gaming
www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
New games reviewed: Irish-made Éalú is a must-play puzzler
Whether it's a gripping storyline, pristine graphics or perhaps novel gameplay mechanics, games have the ability to transport us into any world, any life, or any scenario, in an instant.
www.rte.ie
October 23, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
eyesofhellfire.bsky.social
There are many absolutely true and bonkers stories about the original members that include:

- engaging in public duels
- outbursts of blasphemy so shocking that arrests were made
- dressing up as priests to carry out high-stakes con-jobs and setting servants on fire!

www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
How Dublin's Hellfire Club inspired a new video game
Nestled on top of Montpelier Hill in the Dublin mountains, lies the ruins of the Hellfire Club...
www.rte.ie
October 9, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
gambrinous.com
What a fantastic, in-depth article from RTE exploring the inspirations and intricacies that led to Eyes of Hellfire: www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
How Dublin's Hellfire Club inspired a new video game
Nestled on top of Montpelier Hill in the Dublin mountains, lies the ruins of the Hellfire Club...
www.rte.ie
October 9, 2025 at 8:11 AM
barryor.bsky.social
Why the world needs this...alas, I do expect bigger and greater things from my dogs now.

www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
What is AI slop, and is it the end of civilization as we know it?
Just when you thought (and maybe hoped) that generative artificial intelligence was being reigned in, brand-new technology has recently been teased, aiming to help any user generate sophisticated vide...
www.rte.ie
October 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
craigbreathnach.bsky.social
Éalú by @ivanfisher-owen.bsky.social and @emfish11.bsky.social released yesterday, please go check out this wonderful stop motion animated game!

#IRISHGAMEDOMINATION #speirghorm #irishgamedev #speirgorm #indiedev #gamedev #irishcreatives #indiegame

store.steampowered.com/app/3560370/...
Save 20% on Éalú on Steam
A cozy, handmade stop-motion adventure... unless the maze takes a darker turn... Guide your wooden mouse through a labyrinth full of puzzles & unknown dangers in search of an exit to a happier pla...
store.steampowered.com
October 3, 2025 at 8:33 AM
barryor.bsky.social
View from the train is making the early rise tolerable 🤣

To Dublin we go!
October 2, 2025 at 6:40 AM
barryor.bsky.social
'Ghost of Yotei review: an action-packed video game tour de force'

Delighted to review the highly anticipated #ghostofyotei for RTE today - now I can finally get back to my inbox 😅 #gaming

www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
Ghost of Yotei review: an action-packed video game tour de force
The successor to the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima is finally here.
www.rte.ie
September 25, 2025 at 4:53 PM
barryor.bsky.social
Hornet looking celestial on the RTE homepage this morning, as we cover the latest & greatest in gaming.

On the docket this week, the challenging Silksong, the revival of Metal Gear Solid, Donkey Kong salvaging a sparse Switch 2 lineup, and Lost Soul Aside.

More to come. More to play. Life is good!
New video games: How Hollow Knight: Silksong broke the internet
I say it every time, but when it comes to gaming, 2025 has already been an exceptional year.
www.rte.ie
September 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
barryor.bsky.social
A lovely surprise to wake up to...

I now have #GhostofYotei downloading...

Embargo lifts Thursday, September 25 at 2:00 PM.

What a juicy review period. (I'm not use to the time!)

.....till then! ⚔️ #PS5 #PlayStation
September 5, 2025 at 11:27 AM
barryor.bsky.social
Finally returning to the land of social media.....so, hello!

Catching up on a lot of new followers & tags (kind of worried what I've done to attract the attention in my absence!)
a cat with a crown on its head is dancing
ALT: a cat with a crown on its head is dancing
media.tenor.com
September 4, 2025 at 12:21 PM
barryor.bsky.social
My review of #CronosTheNewDawn is now live on RTÉ. Give it a wee click if you fancy!

TL;DR: The game is a tour de force in survival horror, playing on your paranoia to instill a constant sense of dread throughout.

Míle buíochas Blooper #gaming

www.rte.ie/culture/2025...
Cronos: The New Dawn reviewed - the ultimate in horror games?
One of the opening messages of Cronos: The New Dawn states that death is part of the learning experience...
www.rte.ie
September 4, 2025 at 12:05 PM
barryor.bsky.social
Crimbo shopping 99.9% complete.
Haircut secured.
Now the 🌲 to go! 😄
December 8, 2024 at 6:34 PM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
ncrenic.bsky.social
Two stages of writing:

1) This shouldn't take too long
2) Oh no
December 4, 2024 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
barryor.bsky.social
Fresh off Hannah Telle's nomination for Best Performance at #TheGameAwards, happy to share my review of the picture-perfect sequel to Life is Strange.

Double Exposure is a narrative dream where you navigate two concurrent timelines with a supernatural twist #gaming

www.rte.ie/culture/2024...
Life is Strange: Double Exposure review: a picture perfect sequel
Choice is a powerful thing in video games. In my view, it's one of the advantages of the medium over books, film, and television.
www.rte.ie
November 21, 2024 at 4:16 PM
barryor.bsky.social
Fresh off Hannah Telle's nomination for Best Performance at #TheGameAwards, happy to share my review of the picture-perfect sequel to Life is Strange.

Double Exposure is a narrative dream where you navigate two concurrent timelines with a supernatural twist #gaming

www.rte.ie/culture/2024...
Life is Strange: Double Exposure review: a picture perfect sequel
Choice is a powerful thing in video games. In my view, it's one of the advantages of the medium over books, film, and television.
www.rte.ie
November 21, 2024 at 4:16 PM
barryor.bsky.social
That. Last. Scene. In. Arcane.

Give it the Emmy already.

Caitlyn redemption.
Jinx.
Vi redemption.
More Jinx.

But...but...the last scene...
a woman is covering her mouth with her hands and laughing .
ALT: a woman is covering her mouth with her hands and laughing .
media.tenor.com
November 16, 2024 at 9:47 PM
barryor.bsky.social
Business as usual sharing my gaming work.

This week, a deep dive into the latest #CallofDuty Black Ops 6! Finest addition in recent memory.

(Though I am quite bad at the game...it's still beyond fun!) #gaming #PS5

www.rte.ie/culture/2024...
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 reviewed – one of the year's best games
Call of Duty is one of the biggest franchises in the entertainment industry. First released in 2003, it has sold over 500 million units across 24 mainline games. And every month, some 100 million peop...
www.rte.ie
November 16, 2024 at 7:29 PM
barryor.bsky.social
Aaaaand we've a day of gaming ahead of us! 😁🎮
November 16, 2024 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Barry O'Rourke
mattxiv.bsky.social
so we moved to bluesky
November 15, 2024 at 4:53 AM
barryor.bsky.social
*waves* Finally remembered the login and now we're here
November 15, 2024 at 3:24 PM